The short straw
by ellethefanfictioner
Summary: This is my first story about Puck and his sister. I have made his sister older and have developed her character and personality and i had no idea what her name was so i kind of made up my own character as Puck's sister. Any way ... Puck explores his life revealing hidden emotions about tragic events from his past. Enjoy :D
1. Chapter 1

I got a phone call just as they were about to go on stage. I didn't speak but stood silent absorbing the information. I went pale 'I'll be there as soon as I can'.

The others looked at me confused. Mr Shue looked concerned; I had never looked so worried in the whole time he'd known me. I was always so collected the only emotion I ever showed was anger or dislike for someone well as least to these guys. I couldn't let them see how I felt inside it would ruin me. Puckerman crying at school, it was unheard of; I would become a laughing stock. Even so I couldn't help my throat getting tighter and every time I thought of what they had said, the way they'd said it, I had to force myself to fight back the tears.

Too focused on what I had just heard I realised the others were staring at me. There was a mixture of concern and inquisitiveness on their faces so I had to suck it up.

'Casey's in the hospital.' I said as if that was explanation enough and I turned to leave not wanting them to see the distress behind my face, but Rachel stopped me.

'But what about us, the show' she exclaimed.

The others looked shocked. How could she have been so insensitive?

'Are you joking Rachel, seriously'. I stared at her appalled. 'Do you really think I would wait here while my sister is in the hospital? I have no idea what's happened to her I only know that she is unconscious and badly hurt and I never gave a shit about glee any way.' Rachel flinched as if stung. 'I'm only here to that I don't fail senior year and to be honest I don't give a shit about you and the drama you create for yourself. Just have fun in little Rachel land ok because this is the real world where people get hurt and fail school and can't pay rent or get into college, so just shut up because you have no idea what it's like!'

Finn tried to be sympathetic but I could tell by the look on his face that he was shocked by what I had said to Rachel. 'Common man do be like that it's not her fault'

She was crying now. Typical.

'Really you're going to support her Finn. That's right, take her side as usual.' I didn't know why I was creating such a scene. I just did, all the time. If something up set me I would hide it behind a hard mask that covered how I really felt. I couldn't open up to anyone. Not about my mums death or losing the house or how worried sick I was about Casey. She had been through so much already. She saw mum die and I could see as piece by piece we lost the life our parents had built for us, I could only watch helpless to support, her as piece by piece her life was torn apart.

The tears were stinging my eyes now, I had to get out of there, I needed to be there for Casey, I had wasted too much of my time on these guys already. I turned my back stuffing my things into my bag and swung the door open with my right hand.

'Puck' said Mr Shue reaching an arm and grabbing my left out as if trying to stop me.

'What!'

The others just stared at me not sure what to say or do.

'Just what I thought' I choked. My throat had choked up and turning quickly so they wouldn't see thee tears brimming in my eyes, I slung my bag over my shoulder and kicked the door as he skulked out. It only hurt but it was better than taking my anger out on my friends. I hoped I had done enough to keep them away I knew when I got to the hospital the distress I felt would only increase I didn't want them to see.


	2. Chapter 2

My father had always been absent, that was the fact of the matter. He was here for about five years until he left my mother but I didn't hate him until mum died he just wasn't there. Whenever id ask my mum why dad didn't live with us she would just answer that he was away on business and I believed her it was better than thinking that he'd abandoned us. I remember he used to take me to football practice and we'd run drills in the park on a Sunday after the game; he introduced me to football in the first place. Not exaggerating, he was the perfect father but there was always something off about him. I was too young to notice exactly what it was, but small children can tell when something's wrong; they can feel the tension. Mum never noticed. Sometimes when he'd get off the phone or back from work he looked weary and instead of going to bed he'd sit down with a beer and sit and meditatively drink as if he had retreat within himself. I knew better than to talk to him when he got like that to be honest I was just scared to find out why he needed to drink or what would happen if I did approach him. He was a stern man. He didn't have to say much and you could tell by him facial expression how he was feeling. His mouth would tighten, his brow would furrow and he would just stare into oblivion as if nothing around him mattered as if he was in his own world.

If dad hadn't lost the house I don't think any of this would have happened to our family I really don't, but there's always someone in society that gets the short straw and where ever I went it was always mine. My mum had high blood pressure which meant she couldn't cope with stressful situations. The fact of the matter was that she couldn't work. It wasn't her fault, I couldn't blame her for being ill and dad worked in an office for some sports company. It was just like any other family it wasn't unusual for a mother to stay at home to look after her kids and dad worked but he always found time to be my dad. Normal. But then dad lost his job and after about two weeks we got the notice to leave our house. I never understood why this happened and mum didn't have the heart to tell me before she died, I found out anyway when the social worker came to talk about why we were going to live but anyway I didn't know then why dad started to become so distant.

He would go out all night and drink with his mates from his new job. We were lucky I suppose that he found that one of his mates found him a job in a coffee business. It's funny isn't it working in a coffee business but I never questioned it. He never told me exactly what he did but my dad had saved us. He had found a new house. Mum used to hate it. I would get angry at her, I would never tell her otherwise id get a smack, but after all I was only about four but I couldn't get my head around why she hated his new job so much. He had stopped us from losing our house why was it such a problem. But what I hadn't realised was that dad had joined the mob. He had been working for one of his 'mates' basically 'taking out' people that couldn't pay him back for the drugs he sold them. My dad was the enforcer that put people in the hospital … it was sick.

And now that he had turned to alcohol his silent moments turned rapidly into a full blow rages that more often than not landed my mum with a broken arm or a black eye until she plucked up the courage to move without a word. That's how I ended up in Lima with an absent dad, a pregnant traumatised teen mother and a council house that we could barely afford. The short straw.


	3. Chapter 3

When I finally got to the hospital I was in a state. After leaving school I had broken down in my car. I had to focus all my energy on driving to try and distract myself from the images that were flicking through my head. I couldn't stop thinking about Casey, what could have happened what had happened to her. To be totally honest with myself I had absolutely no idea. The voice at the end of the call sounded apologetic but the emotion wasn't there as if they were just sorry it had happened but they didn't really care. All they said was that she was unconscious and that she had been hurt badly. For all I knew she could have been in a car accident or a fire or. Stop. I couldn't keep doing this to myself. I had to force my brain to pull myself together. What was wrong with me? My life was like a never ending disaster for everyone involved but I knew I needed to see Casey but I couldn't be strong for her looking like a wreck. I put my hands on my steering wheel and rested my head on top taking my time to breathe in and out calming the frantic sobs that wrenched out of me.

The last time I had been to this hospital was when mum died. Thinking about it now it was only a year ago that I had been sitting in the same car park crying for a woman who was never going to wake up. But I couldn't think about that now. I definitely couldn't compare the two situations. This was completely different I told myself. Casey will wake up she'll be sick but she'll be fine and as I got out the car slamming the door behind me as if trying to take my anger out on something, I lied to myself convincing myself that everything would be ok.

I asked after my sister at reception and a nurse led me down an empty corridor. We sat down on a row of chairs in front of a white washed wall. I watched her expectantly bracing myself for what she was about to tell me. She shifted on her chair as if delaying or taking her time to think about what to say. She finally folded her hands on her legs and in a professional voice of the upmost seriousness began to talk.

'I didn't think it was appropriate to tell you over the phone exactly what had happened to Casey, but I'm sorry for the vagueness of the call it was just important that you got here as soon as possible.'

'I understand', I lied. I was very far from understanding; still trying to push the emotion back from my voice I continued 'How is she? Has she woken up yet?' I stopped waiting for the usual reply of yes or no or she's in the best possible hands, the usual cover up lines hospital staff use to hide the severity of a situation or your loved ones condition, but she didn't.

'No, she's still unconscious, but I need to talk to you about the seriousness of the situation.'

Looking at the floor preparing myself for the typical reply I suddenly looked up, surprised.

'What do you mean?' It wasn't a nice surprise. I had been coaxing myself from the car to here that they would go through the usual small talk and all I would have to do was just nod along with whatever they said and focus on all my energy on Casey. I had not prepared myself for anything else. My emotions crept little by little into my throat as the nurse continued.

'Do you have any idea if you know anyone that would want to physically harm Casey?'

In my head I was pushing myself further and further into a familiar scenario that I had experienced too many times before, but, not wanting to give away how I was really feeling I pretended I was new to this. 'No, I'm sorry I don't. Why?'

'I'm sorry to say that Casey has been beaten.'

As soon as the nurse said that I wanted to be sick. I hadn't even considered that kind of accident. I had in my head hit by a car or a car crash but this was far worse than all of the situations I had thought of, but it was one I was most familiar with. The police would ask me this as a child when mum had been beaten. They would ask me whether I knew anyone that would want to hurt her but what could I say. I couldn't say, 'Yes officer my dad beat my mum in front of me.' I was helpless to do anything in support of my mum and I felt that way now, helpless and I hated it.

'Who did it?' I jumped at my first impulse suddenly looking up. 'Are the police involved, have you even called them?' I realised afterwards how I had said it how abrupt it had sounded and immediately hid my head in my hands again for fear or shouting.

'Yes and they want to take a statement from Casey as soon as she wakes up.'

'How badly is she hurt?'

'It was very serious; she had a cardiac arrest on route and she's broken a few ribs so her breathings been very laboured'

But I couldn't help it anymore the emotion and the anger was too strong to hold back. I lifted up my head as I spoke like a monster awakening from its cave. 'Well she didn't really break some ribs did she?'

'Excuse me' the nurse looked shocked at my reaction, she obviously wasn't used to family members reacting in any other way than going quiet and shrink into themselves, agreeing with her supremacy over the situation. But that was out of character for me.

'She did break her own ribs; this is not like a fluke accident this was a purpose brutal attack on teenager barley strong enough to get out of bed in the morning. Do you have any idea what this will do to her?'

'She will go through some emotional trauma, yes.' said the nurse trying desperately to keep the situation under control.

'No, she will go through hell; you don't know what she's been through'

'Mr Puckerman I understand that this is also very traumatic for you but you have to remember that this is a hospital and you cannot behave like this.'

I was somewhat surprised that she said this but upon the realisation that people were starting to stare I kicked the chair making a sudden bang and jolt beneath me and hide my face in my hands I could feel a burning sensation in my eyes. Looking back, I must have looked like such a baby, a muscular football player, crying in public. 'Yer, yer. I'm sorry.' I chocked fighting the tears 'Sorry. can I just see her please'

'Of course, I'll take your there myself'

And putting an arm behind me she escorted me into the hospital.


	4. Chapter 4

The nurse left me outside Casey's room she could probably tell that I wanted to be alone. It was then that I realised that I wanted my friends there, Mr Shue at least because he would know what to say to her. I didn't know how I was supposed to tell her that everything was going to be alright if I knew for a fact that it wasn't. She got on well with Mr Shue. When mum first died and they wanted to send us to foster homes until I was eighteen and legally old enough to take care of her Mr Shue offered right away and he was like the father Casey never had. I wish I hadn't stormed out so fast. That was my problem. I never think things through. If a nerd came up to me and looked me in the eye or banged into me in the corridor then I would see red and beat then up but now after what had happened to Casey and what I said to my friends back at school I knew this wasn't just going to be hard for Casey I would need a reality check as well.

I was staring down the empty corridor as I thought about this then taking a breath I opened the door to her room.

I practically chocked on my breath when I saw what a monster had done to her.

I just sort of stared in horrified disgust at what some monster had done to my little sister. There were deep black and purple marks on her chest and neck. It was hard to recognise her though the mess of colour on her skin as well as the swollen eye and lip. On top of that she looked a bit like a science experiment. Tubes were snaked up from her chest and arm and an oxygen mask had been strapped on to her face. She looked so uncomfortable not lying down but propped up like a puppet not sitting or lying back but in the stuck uncomfortably in the middle. Her head lay on one side on the pillow and her arm in a cast lay limply across her stomach. Silently picking up a stool and placing it next to the bed I took her hand in mine. It was warm surprisingly and that shock gave me hope that she would be ok. I didn't say anything I don't really se the point of talking to someone when they're asleep it's just awkward and they don't remember when they wake up so I just gazed at her hoping that even though I couldn't tell her I was here for her maybe she could sense that I was there with her.

I sat there looking down at our hands and as I got up to sit in the armchair across the room I felt I tiny twitch of a finger. I looked and sat back down. She was waking up. I stroked her hair of her face and kissed her forehead. The ecstatic flowing through me was unreal. Even though the nurse had told me that she was going to wake up being in that situation was like a waiting game I was just relieved that she was ok and that it was over quickly.

She said my name searching for a reply in the haze that she could focus on. I replied.

'I'm right here Case. It's ok'

'Did you see the nurse? Did she tell you what happened?'

'Yer'

'I'm really sorry'

She started to get emotional already and I had to calm her down. I kind of panicked.

'No no Case none of this was your fault at all. Ok, none of it.'

I tried to sound as reassuring a possible.

'Hey Case Case look at me look at me.'

Through the tears she fought and looked at me. I looked back into her eyes. They looked to dull and empty no hope kindled in side of them anymore.

'I promise everything is ok. So just lye down and take it easy everything is going to be fine.'

I held her rocking her back and forth. She like that when she was a baby so in my blind panic to calm her down it was just instinct. She lay back down on the bed. I noticed that I was still holding her hand so I squeezed it as a physical remainder that I was there for her. She closed her eyes holding on to my hand for dead life and as I sat there she fell asleep.


	5. Chapter 5

I sat with her until she fell asleep. It was very quick because she was exhausted from the whole experience. Her whole body must have been wiped out, at least it looked that way from the bruises that patch worked their way across her skin. She looked so peaceful lying there. She was a beautiful fifteen year old slim with a well rounded face that she called baby fat. It was cute though. When she smiled her face could light up a room. Her sea green eyes would sparkle and her whole complexion would slip into a cheeky exaggerated grin. Her hair was like mums, a golden brown that snaked down her neck and shoulders in individual waves that she always tucked cleanly behind her ears. Perfect at least she was to me. Noticing a familiar face in the chairs opposite the window of the door I leant over her body rising and falling to the sound of her laboured breaths and kissed her forehead. I left and shut the door silently behind me.

Me Shue sat awkwardly on the chairs outside her room. I think I had given him the impression that I didn't want him there earlier but the truth was I was so relieved. I had no idea how to sort all the paper work that hospital wanted me to fill out or how to cope with the trauma I had barely pulled it together myself when she woke up. I needed him there. I went and sat beside him. I didn't really know what to say I was still embarrassed about what had happened earlier so after siting in silence for a minute I waited for him to speak.

"How is she?"

"Scared."

"Yer."

"She thinks it's her fault. You should see her she looks like a punch bag. I hid my head in my hands and wiped my face in distress. It's sickening."

"She's a tough girl."

"It doesn't matter who ever did this is going to pay she's tough but no one especially a child shouldn't have to go through this."

"I spoke to the doctor."

"Yer."

"He said that she's going to have to stay here for a while."

"She's not ok then?"

"Well obviously she's in a lot of pain but she's not breathing right."

"Yer because some piece of crap has cracked half her ribs."

We both sat looking at the floor for a while reflecting on the hideousness of the situation until mr Shue broke the silence.

"I can stay as long as you need."

"Really, the guys don't need you at regionals."

"No, they've sung already"

"They do ok"

"They won."

"Oh … good."

"I'm sorry you don't like glee puck but …"

"No it's not that I don't like it it's just there's so much going on at the moment that they keep giving me grief for not making glee my life but my life is totally different to there's and they don't understand what it's like."

"I know it can be hard but you just need to explain it to them."

"There's only so much I can explain

They know about me fostering casey."

"Yer but they don't know about dad and …"

"Look if you don't want to talk about it I understand but you need to talk to someone about this it really helped casey I mean you saw how she was after the shooting."

"Yer I did and god knows why this is going to do on top."

Me Shue seemed to acknowledge that I didn't want to talk about my dad this was kind of a sensitive topic for me and I didn't like to talk openly about it so he got up.

"I'm going to find the nurse about filling out some of this paperwork."

"Thank you Mr Shue for everything I and I know casey really appreciates it."

You guys mean the world to me you guys from glee just be here for casey ill come and see her in a minute. It'll be ok."

He put his hand on my shoulder and gave me a reassuring nudge

I was glad he was here.


	6. Chapter 6

I looked down the corridor as Mr Shue left. I tried to take in what he had said 'be there for her' but the anger was surging inside of me and I couldn't control it; self control was difficult for me. I drearily got up and leaning against the wall gazed through the window. Casey was asleep. She lay more peaceful now I hoped that was because she knew I was there with her but I couldn't tell. I had no idea what was going through her head nowadays. She had been seeing that guy, Kieran, for five months now. I knew she was only with him because she needed someone to replace the love she got from mum but she had me and she had mr Shue. Well strictly speaking that wasn't really true.

After mum died I was really distant from her but I had stuff to deal with as well. How could she stay with him when he treated her like that? Still, looking at her I knew that there was an explanation despite the fact that I didn't want to see it. The truth was that casey blamed herself for mums death. I told her it wasn't her fault but she was there when it happened even though she couldn't have done anything to stop dad she felt like she should have helped, done anything to help, but instead she stood rooted to be spot with fear. I looked down at the floor almost guilty for resurfacing burning memories. I remembered finding her when I came home. She was sat curled up in the corner just staring unblinkingly at our mothers lifeless body but she wouldn't look at me or speak to me or anyone for that matter for months she had been so consumed by her guilt. When she finally came out of it she started going out with Kieran. The pain he put her through she thought she deserved, but not this. She deserved nothing other than a happy family. She was or used to be so full of life and laughter but after mum was shot it seemed to kill the life inside her as well.

I looked back up at her in the hospital bed and then looking past mr Shue filling out some paperwork I saw a familiar dark figure strut confidently up to the front desk. How could he after all he had done turn up like this as if he was concerned. He treated her like trash he put her in that bed. I clenched my fist and breathed trying to ignore the rush of anger. But then I saw red and ran. When I threw him to the floor; it felt satisfying. I would show him how it felt to be her right now to be held down by someone so much stronger and bigger than you. To know there was nothing you could do and no matter how much you struggled they would not stop. I could feel his flesh warming with my blows and the sweet satisfaction of his cries creepily soothed my pain. He fought back helplessly trying desperately to defend my blows but i met his punches every time and when he tried to crawl away I slammed his head into the floor.

I would not have stopped unless I was dragged off of him. It was like i didn't care that everyone else was staring this was between me an him but I felt strong arms grab mine and pull me off clawing at my waist. 'Get off me' I cried, but it wasn't until I heard a voice tell me that I was no better than my dad that I stopped and looked at my handy work. Kieran was actually crying. After all he had done he couldn't take what he dished out. Finn had grabbed my fists and pushed them down.

'Hey hey puck stop. Stop it you're hurting him.' He shouted but it still took both him Mr Shue and sam to hold me back while he crawled away. I struggled I needed to get revenge for casey I couldn't do anything to soothe her pain but I could hurt her attacker. I could feel the sweat beads rolling in exhaustion down my face as i tried to get out of their grasp. They manhandled my down a corridor and I sat there on the floor almost crying through the frustration. I didn't speak to them. Secretly I was touched that they had shown up but instead sat in silence only broken my my heavy breaths. Mr Shue could see I wanted to be alone so beckoned sam away but Finn stayed crouching beside me; waiting.


	7. Chapter 7

**For Cory 3**

**I hadn't update for a while and even though this scene was always going to be about Finn following Saturdays absolutely devastating event I want to dedicate this chapter to Cory. I can only imagine the pain that Lea is going through and I hope people respect her time to grieve in private. They were going to get married an start a family and as heart breaking as he can't be with her but he will always be with her as a star in heaven. It is a great loss to his fans that he is gone and to show how much I loved him I want to write this and remember him and Finn as the caring, down to earth, empathetic character and person that he and Cory were. I know I will never forget him; he was a role model for young people everywhere whether they watched glee or not**.

Finn could see that I hadn't stopped crying but he still sat patiently waiting. I looked at him his eyes full of empathy and concern and now that the others had gone collapsed into a fit of tears onto his chest. He didn't seemed shocked and put an arm around my shoulder gripping it firmly to let me know he was there. It felt like home with Finn, I had known him for years and I could safely say that he was like a brother. He had been there when mum had died and when dad went inside for the first time. I couldn't count the amount of times his mum had been there for me and casey when ours couldn't but now all I needed was for someone to tell me that everything would be ok and that most importantly casey would be. I cried like I hadn't in a longtime almost taking advantage of the situation to let out the solitude depression I had felt when mum died because I didn't have to pretend with Finn. After a while I composed myself and rocked back up right wiping my clammy hands over y face in an attempt to quickly disguise the tears.

'Sorry.' I whimpered

'Puck.' He said looking at me. ' you don't have to pretend you can cope with this. I know how much she means to you.'

He kept his arm on my shoulder as he said this and the warmth of his embrace was reassuring but I couldn't be totally put to ease until I had made Finn understand.

'Have you seen her though Finn? Have you seen what he's done to her?'

Jumping up and pulling him to the window of her room I tried to reinforce my reasons for my attack.

'He flaunted in as if he had a right to be here after the way he treated her.'

Casey lay there still asleep as I had left her. She still looked beautiful despite her appearance and I could still see the radiance and dignity in her face as she slept the components to her personality that never left. Finn stared for a moment as if trying to make out what he was looking at.

'He beat her.' Finn, his voice quiet, didn't looked shocked but I could see his face gradually sink as he got to grips with the reality of the situation.

'Yer! He beat her to the point she lost consciousness it's sick.' I ended pulling away.

Finn's face painted a picture of bewilderment and disgust. He had been close to Casey I mean he was cool with letting her hang out as one of the guys but they were close like siblings and I could tell by the way he was with her and the way he stared almost tearing at her now how much he adored her. His faced now turned to anger.

'Why, how could anyone do this?'

'Why, because he was psyco freak who wanted attention and a twisted kind of love from a fragile girl who was only with him because she was trying to fill the hole her father used to.

'Dan's dead.'

'No he's inside he was convicted.'

'Puck I'm so sorry.'

'I'm not. He killed our mother and he practically put casey in that hospital bed.'

'But he was your father!'

'Finn I know you love your dad and you have this image of him in your head well what ever that image is my dad was the opposite.'

'Do you not even feel something, anything?'

'Yer, revenge for Casey.'

We stood in silence for a while. I knew Finn would never really understand the relationship I had with my father having never experienced one with his own but he always did his best to try and understand. I broke the silence, drawing back with him to the window and leaning on the sill, by talking about her condition. He could tell I needed distracting from my anger by the way my fist was curling up so he contributed.

As I looked through the window with Finn discussing her condition I saw her hand twitch on the cover and grasp the white blanket as a comfort. I started to enter the room with Finn as Mr Shue turned down the corridor.

'Puck.' He beckoned towards me. 'I need you to sign this.'

I gave Finn a frantic look feeling a sudden panic for Casey's comfort.

He put a hand on my back and slipped past me. Then, throwing me a reassuring smile he said 'ill sit with her.' And then my fears were relieved.

He slipped thought the door quietly and sitting on the metal stool by the best that I had sat by her on moments before attempted to comfort her sobs and cried of pain by holding her hand and stroking her forehead. She was reassured by the warmth of his hand and recognising the familiar smell and lovingness of the touch called his name.

'Hey Case yer it's Finn.'

'It really hurts.'

'I know it does but I'm here and puck will be soon.'

The pain was obviously too much for her and even from the words of comfort the sobs did not stop.

'Shhhh.' He calmly soothed still stroking her head but he then held her hand in both of his squeezing it as she squeezed his back.

'Im glad your here.' She said before she drifted off again.

'Me too he said.' Lowering his head and gently kissing her hand.

He sat with casey and me for the rest of the night.


End file.
